Means for covering cargo hatches and other openings



Dec. 7, 1937. l H, E. FRlCK y 2,101,056

' MEANS FOR OOVERING CARGO HATOHES AND OTHER OPENINGS Filed July 18, 1936 14 lg-L i fo Caninuous weld o0oaoooo ooOOoouoo Patented Decfioal PATeNT 'oei-istie] Y /znonoss/H/ MEANS Fon COVERING CARGO MATCHES AND `OTHER OPENINGS Henry E. Frick,

' to The Metal Lumber sey, New York, N. Y.

Upper Montclair, N. J., assignor Corporation oi New gerer, j

Application July 1s, 1936, serial No. 91,287

6 claims. ici. iii-2n) vThis invention relates to cargo hatches for vessels and has for its principal object the provision of means for covering the same or s'iniilar'openings, saidnieans comprising a plurality of units, each unit consisting of a casing made up yol. a sheet of thin steel and preferably filled with reretardant material.

A further object is the production of a reinforced rnetal plank filled with fire retardant material and adapted to be used singly or with other planks in closing various shaped apertures.

f'notherobject is the production of a metal plank the casing of which is made of thin metal groove on one side face and a tongue on its opposite side face.

Figure 6 represents a similar transverse section of a unit made up of top and bottom sheets of metal and illled with fire retardant material.

Figure 7 represents a longitudinal section of che of the planks or units, the section being on line l, l on Fig. 3. f

` Figure 3 represents a section online Si, E3 on Fig.

3, and

Figure 9 represents a diagram 'showing a plurality of planks or .units disposed side by side in position tgvcover'a cargo hatch or other opening.

and provided with U-shaped reinorcing/partb/-ff/Sinil charactersindicatelike parts throughtions or flanges extendmgthefentire length of the plank, the abutting parallel portions of said partitions or flanges being either spot welded on continuously welded together.

The present invention is an improvement on the invention covered by Patent No. -1,777,880, is= sued October 7, 1930, to Eric H. Ewertz and John T. Dalcher. Y, ff

The above and other desired objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

For the purpose of rillustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is i/lljlstrated in the drawing, this form havikngfbe/en found vto give satisfactory and l] eliabie results, although it is undrS/tpsodtiiat the various instrumentalities of ///which the invention consists can be variously artion of these ranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organizainstrumentalities as herein shown. and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims. v

Of the drawing- Figure l represents a vertical section of a cargo hatch showing aplurality of'metal planks or units covering the same.

Figure 2 represents a plan of4 one of said planks or units.

Figure 3 represents a transverse section of the same drawn t an enlarged scale, the cutting plane being on line 3, 8 on Fig. 2, said unit being formed of one continuous sheet of metal and open at the bottom. l A

Figure 4 represents a similar transverse section of a modified form ci unitformed from la single sheet of metal and filled with a rire restardant material.

Figure 5 represents asimilar transverse section showing a unit made up of top and bottom sheets oi' material and lled with re retardant material, this particular unit being provided with a.

"d Extendingtransiersely ofVV out the several gures of the drawing.

In the drawing, iii is a decir of a vessel having secured thereto a hatch frame ii 4by rr/leans*of angle irons i2 and bracingfmembers i3.

Depending from the hatch frame ii and secured to the decir i@ by angle irons ii'is a supplemental hatch Vframeyi.

the hatch frame il are a plurality/oi removable hatch beams or strongbacksit and i7, the strongbach i'i having flanges it extendingl upwardly above the top o Jtiie hatch beams it, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing.

Secured to the inner face of the hatch frame il and at the upper end thereof are' angle irons i9, the inwardly extending flanges of which are alined with the upper flanges o the hatch beams it and il. The hatch frame forms no part ot the present invention and may be made of any well known construction. l On the upper flanges oi the hatch beams i@ and i7 and inwardly extending anges ci the angle irons I9 are disposed a plurality of cover units titl.

These cover units 2@ lmay be length to accommodate thern to various conditions, as for instance, vas shown in Fig. l two long units are shown at the left of said iigure of any desired` ways, either from one sheetvof thin steel or from two sheets of steel welded joining edges. As shown in Fig. 3 a unit is made up of a single sheet ti of thin steel in the form of a box, the lower end thereof havin-g flanges t2 extending toward each other and welded to` a brace or strap e 23 superimposed on said flanges.

- One or vcalore ot these straps 3s may be used 'together at their adaccording to the length of the unit and where several straps 23 are used they are spaced,

with which sai /bdx f42 is lled is a cup-shaped one at either end of the unit 20.

'a3/member# shown in Fig. '1 of the drawing, about thi/rt Across this cup-shaped member 46 is ahandle inches apart, more or less to suit varying'con- 5 ditions.

Near either end of each unitV 25 is acuphshaped depressionv 24 formed in the sheet metal top, said depression having welded to its upper face a. cross handle bar 25 with its under face rounded, as indicated at 26 to prodgoodgrp when positioning the units 2D on the hatch or removing the units therefrom. 'I'he top of handle bar 25 is ush with the top surface of the unit 20.

On opposite sidesof the depressions 24 and extending the entire length of each plank or unit are U-shaped strengtheningfianges or ribs 21, the lower ends of which are welded at 28 to the strap 23.

The two abutting parallel portions of the 20 flanges 21 are continuously welded together, thereby increasing the rigidity of said fianges.

To the inner surfaces of the side walls of the 41, the under side of which isV rounded and the upper faceof which is at. 6

The flat opposite ends of said handle are continuously welded to the under face of the cover portion 43 as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawing, with a portion thereof flush with the upper surface of the hatch plank.

^ When the planks or units 20 are formed as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 in section, the opposite ends are closed by plates 48 continuously welded to the opposite ends of the metal casing thereof. 15

If desired, a plurality of said planks or units 20 may be disposed parallel to each other as shown in Fig. 9, to form a complete covering for-/"l a hatch, a pit, altankfor similar device.

rI'he fire-retardant material 3| with which the 20 planks or units 2|! are usually ixd is generally of a mineral wool type or an asbestos mixture.

plank or unit 20 shown in Fig. 3 and VtoA:haw-@Sometinaesilie haJMILHLIH il communicates outer faces of the U-shaped flanges or ribs 21 were tack-Welded a plurality of angle irons or clipslupporting a plate 3U of pressed asbestos board or spme`simila-r fire retardant material against the inner maf-murine; wauioisaiq Y box 2|. 30 In some cases this plate 30 may be omitted, if

desired, depending upon how the plank or unit is to be used.

It is preferred, however, to have the planks l or units 20 in the form of a closed casing with its interior filled with re retardant material 3|,

as indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

In Fig.\4 a unit is shown in*- which a closed casing is rmed of..one continuous sheet of thin metal 32, the adjoining ends of which are continuously'welded together at 33.

This formpiupit is proyided withadepression 24 in the sheet metal 32 and handle 25 welded thereto similar to that-shown. in Fig. 3 of the drawing and hereinbefore described. .X

The same depression 24 and handle 25 is used in the plank or unit shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 4 the sheet metal 32 is provided with U-shaped partitions 34 on opposite sides of the o depressions 24, the two abutting parallel thicknesses of material forming these partitions 34 being spot welded together and giving great rigidity to the casing.

' A unit may be formed of two sections of thin sheet metal as shown in Fig. 5, the upper section/ 35 having formed in one of its side walls a groove 36 and in the opposite side wall a tongue 31 adapted to tit into a groove 36 in an adjacent unit 20. This unit may also be made of one continuous sheet of material with the ends continuously welded together as at 33-in Fig. 4.

The lower section 38 is provided with the two upwardly extending U-shaped partitionsor ribs 39, the two abutting parallel portions of the same being either spot welded or continuously weldedtogether to obtain great rigidity for the entire casing of said unit.

The upper section 35 and the lower section 38 are continuously welded togetheras indicated at 40 and 4|.

In Fig. 6 the unit is made up of a box portion 42 having a cover portion 43, the downwardly extending anges 44 being continuously welded at 45 to theside walls of the box portion 42.

Embedded in the i'lre retardant material 3| with a refrigerating space an`d`then the planks may be lled with granulated cork or other in- 25 sulating material.

The handles 25, 41 may be grasped by a mans hand or with a hand cargo hook.

When the planks or units 20 are'providedwithm tongues 31 and grooves 36, they may be laid on 30 the hatch strongbacks and interlocked, thus firmly securing the covering to the hatch opening. Y It isK self-evident that the hatch covers may be made up oi any number of planks or units 20, which planks may y* be of various widthsl and 35 lengths to accommodatewizes of openings to'be covered.

These planks or units 20 while made of steel arecomparatively light owing to the thinness of the steel, but when4 reinforced with the end plates 48 and the longitudinal s'tiiening U-shaped ribs or partitions 21, 34, or 39, are very rigid, and combining as they do light weight and strength, they are very superior to the Wooden covers now in general use, and are so manufactured as to be intercsangeable with them without changes in theihatclrcombings or strongbacks.

Being filled with fire-retardant material the covers when constructedA as shown and described are absolutely reprooi.

The invention is not limited tothe various forms of covers shown in the drawing for it is perfectly obvious that a great variety of similar designs may be produced. v

By making the planks of a continuous sheet of thin metal the depressions 24 for the handle may be formed therein and the handle 25 welded into this depression in a. transverse position, as

shown in-the drawing.

When the two abutting parallel portions oi' the stiiening ribs or partitions 21. 34 and 39 are are spot welded together, the spots being in staggered relation, considerable 'rigidity is given to the plank. In some cases the welding may be cortinuous depending on the condition to be me i In the form shown in Fig. 4 a. single continuous v sheet of metal may be used bent to the required form and with the adjoining ends continuously welded together, as shown at 33 in Fig. 4, or two sections of material may be 'used as shown in Fig. 5, the upper section being formed with the handle depression and with or without the tongue 31 and groove 36 and the lower section being formed with the U-shaped partitions or ribs 39. 75

the two abutting parallel portions of which are spot welded together, or i! desired. continuouslywelded together.

Other variations may be made in the construction of the plank without varying the scope of folded U-shaped .with the two'abutting parallel' portions thereof welded together., l The strengthening partitionsv above referred to extending the entire length 'o f each plankdivide the said plank into a plurality of compart- `ments, each of which is adapted to be filled with a nre retardant material.

When planks such as shown in Fig. are used to form a cover for ahatch opening and they tongues 31 oi the various planks are inserted into grooves 36 in abutting planks, it is quiteobvious that the completed cover made .up ofthese several planks thus interlocked will be given great additional rigidity. l

When planks of either construction shown-in the drawing are used to form a cover for a cargo hatch, there is provided protection against the spread of fire and furthermore the' danger of the planks being washed away in a heavy sea is obviated as these metal planks will notv float. With wooden covers this washing overboard often occurs but with the metal planks this objection is overcome.

Owing to the smooth surface of the hatch covers, the life oi the canvas tarpaulins or other hatch coverings is greatly prolonged.

-The metal planks herein shown and described are made interchangeable with the present type of wooden hatch planks in general vuse and these metal planks may be substituted for the wooden planks without making any changes in the hatch combings which are `installed on the vessel.

As a consequence these metal planks may be I installed on' vessels already in service or they may be made to adapt them for any new construction of vessel.`

These planks being filled with re retardant I material serve as nre stops and prevent the spread of re to other compartments of 4the vessels. I

The planks may 'be manufactured in either one piece., of metal or of two piecesof metal as any particular requirenientjmay warrant.

It will also be understoodthat'v the various It is obvious thatthe use of this plank insures a greater -degree o! safety against fire than can be obtained where wooden planks are used.

The planks are easy to handle and may be manufactured readily with comparatively little expense.

.These planks have already been approved by Lloyd's Register of Shipping and the American Bureau of Shipping for 'use on such vessels as.

come under their classification.

It is believed that the many advantages of the invention will be understood readily without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A plank for covering hatches and other` openings consisting of an elongated casing .formed of two thin metalsheets constituting two sections, a portion of one of which is inserted within the other, said casing having lbetween and parallel with its narrower longitudinal sides U-shaped reinforcing partitions formed of one of said thin metal sheets andV having abutting portions welded together, and continuous weld means uniting overlapping portions of said sections together thereby forming an enclosed cas-l mg, .4

2. A plank as set forth in claim 1 having depressions in its top section, and a half oval bar fitted to each ldepression and welded at opposite ends to the wall of vsaid depression with its upper face fiat and flush with the top of said plank.

3. A plank ,as set forth in claim l having longitudinal compartments formedby said reinforcing partitions and the walls 'of the casing, which compartments are iilled with fire retarding material.

4. A plank as set forth'in claim 1 having at sol opposite ends closing plates weldedy to .the ends of said casing and said partitions.

5. A plank as set forth in claim 1 in which the narrower longitudinal sides have alined fiatportions' extending lengthwise thereof and between which one side has a Vy-shaped projection and the opposite side has a corresponding V-shaped de-v pression.

' 6. A plank for covering hatches and other openings consistingl of anrelongated casing closed at 'both ends and formed of thin metal with upper and lower walls and narrower longitudinal sides. one vof said walls having formed thereof U-shaped reinforcing partitions extending to the other wall and having abutting portions welded together, said partitions being between, parallel with and and continuous weld means uniting overlapping lportions of said thin metal thereby forming an y -separated from said narrower longitudinal sides. 

